Quote:
Originally Posted by JtD
The only way to change that would be using 100 octane performance for the Spitfire I, giving it a level speed similar to the 109. Or go to high altitude, were Spitfire and 109 are always fairly close in terms of speed. Other than that, 30ish extra km/h is quite a bit.
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Agreed! 100 octane is giving a Spit roughly equal speed at low level, even greater speed at low-medium altitudes, which governs most of the high speed turning stuff. Apart from that, without 100 octane the Spit is a bit of trouble against the 109E at higher speeds, since the latter is faster at low altitudes, and in the end its speed that govers most of the high speed turning stuff (since parasitic drag is much more dominant there). Its simply how the turning formulae works, something that some of spit fanatics simply do not want to accept.
Higher altitudes would be interesting btw. The Spit has a more power there (save for the 109E/N) and the two aircraft about the same speed. The Spit has less wingloading, the 109 has higher AR - thus the main factors governing turning are going both ways.. my guess would be a slight Spit advantage there though (save again for the 109E/N).
Bottomline, it doesn't matter how good the plane can turn, if the pilot can't fly it right through the edge. 1-2 seconds can be generally made up by good piloting skills, both ways.
